Persephone Definitons

Question 1

Natural Sciences

Answer 1

Discipline of study centring on an experimental approach that examines the natural world through observations, hypothesis and predictions. Includes physics/astronomy, chemistry, geology, and biology

Question 2

Methodological Naturalism

Answer 2

Approach to understanding the world that chooses not to use supernatural explanations as a means to develop an understanding of the world

Question 3

Fact

Answer 3

Observation; evidence; datum

Question 4

Hypothesis

Answer 4

testable, educated guess informed by observations

Question 5

Theory

Answer 5

a broad, general framework for understanding the natural world that is based on scientific evidence. In biology, these generalisations are typically supported through a multitude of sub-disciplines and build on a wide range of tested hypotheses

Question 6

What are 3 examples of theories?

Answer 6

Evolution by natural selection, cell theory of life, germ theory of disease

Question 7

Biostatistics

Answer 7

design, analysis, and interpretation of data associated with the biological sciences. To test hypotheses often requires statistical analysis, like ANOVA, linear regression and chi square

Question 8

Environmental Science

Answer 8

interdisciplinary field integrating natural sciences (ecology especially), social sciences, and humanities to study the environment and develop solutions to environmentalproblems

Question 9

Preservation

Answer 9

Protecting nature from human development

Question 10

Conservation

Answer 10

Managing nature more sustainably

Question 11

Sustainable strategies

Answer 11

Practices that provide for present day needs without degrading the ability of future generations to meet their needs

Question 12

Stewardship

Answer 12

ethical view that humans have a responsibility to care for and wisely manage the natural resources of the earth; includes idea of protecting biological diversity

Question 13

Pollution

Answer 13

detrimental change in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of natural systems

Question 14

Tragedy of the Commons

Answer 14

metaphor using cattle to express that when a resource is held in common it will be degraded/destroyed because narrow self interest of an individual outweighs that individuals received public benefit of not harming the resource.

Question 15

Ecosystem services

Answer 15

Benefits to humans that ecological processes provide through normal functions. E.g. water cycle purifies H2O

Question 16

Ecology

Answer 16

the study of relationship among organisms and their environment

Question 17

Natural history

Answer 17

Observational records for a given organism

Question 18

Environment

Answer 18

The biotic and abiotic factors that affect an organism

Question 19

Population

Answer 19

Members of a species living in an area

Question 20

Community

Answer 20

all interacting populations in a given area

Question 21

Ecosystem

Answer 21

The community and abiotic environment in a given area

Question 22

Biome

Answer 22

Regional climax community. Distinct community that is determined by climate; biomes include desert, tundra, grasslands, and many forest types

Question 23

Energy flow

Answer 23

Usable energy decreases as it is transferred, with unusable heat causing a ‘loss’ of energy. Nearly all energy in natural systems begins with sunlight being converted to another form

Question 24

Nutrient cycles

Answer 24

The transfer of elements through the ecosystem; while energy ‘flows’ through the ecosystem, nutrients cycle. Commonly, the carbon cycle and the nitrogen cycle are two focal nutrients

Question 25

Carbon cycle

Answer 25

Important for climate stability. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing at 40%/100 years. These increases for ~50% of the increase in global temperatures.
Human causes primarily involve fossil fuels and deforestation.

Question 26

Nitrogen cycle

Answer 26

Nitrogen is the most important nutrient for most biological systems.
Yearly, human-generated soluble nitrogen is equal to the global input of nitrogen from all natural activities.
Human inputs lead to dramatic increase in eutrophication of aquatic systems and homogenization of soils, making high nutrient environments

Question 27

Eutrophication

Answer 27

Nutrient enrichment of H2O leads to algal growth. Death of this algae leads to high BOD, leading to low dissolved oxygen, and death of sensitive/indicator spp.